Short answer: JellyFish is a good system with a clear warranty. Nex-Gen's longer coverage on the lights, IP68 rating and offline schedules make it our pick for Kansas City weather.
Side by side
| Nex-Gen | JellyFish | |
|---|---|---|
| Who installs it | Certified Nex-Gen dealers | JellyFish installers |
| Kansas City price | $24 to $35 per foot installed (published) | Quoted; not published |
| Lights and white | RGBW: true warm white plus 16 million colors | 3-diode LED; warm white 2700K to 5000K |
| System voltage | 24V residential (24V, 36V and 48V options) | 48V |
| Weather rating | IP68, tested from -40°F to 140°F | IP67 |
| Rated life | 50,000 hours | Not stated |
| Warranty | Lifetime on the lights, 10 years on hardware; labor not included | 5 years parts, 1 year labor |
| App | Lumina: mapped roofline, Game Day, Neighborhood Sync, Design Studio, Lumina AI | Cloud-based app with calendar scheduling and zones |
| Voice and smart home | Siri Shortcuts on iPhone | Not stated |
| Schedules without internet | Yes, schedules run on the controller | App is cloud-based; ask the installer |
| Kansas City installer | Yes. Nex-Gen is headquartered in Blue Springs | Check JellyFish's location finder |
"Not stated" means we couldn't find it on the brand's public pages. Nex-Gen warranty: Nex-Gen warrants its LED lights for the life of the light (rated about 20 years, or 50,000 hours) and its hardware, such as power supplies, controllers, cables and track, for 10 years. Labor for warranty replacements is not part of the Nex-Gen warranty, so ask your installer what workmanship coverage they include.
Where JellyFish does well
- Adjustable white from warm 2700K to cool 5000K.
- One year of labor is part of the published warranty.
- Well known nationally.
Where Nex-Gen comes out ahead
- Lifetime coverage on the lights and 10 years on hardware, versus 5 years on parts.
- IP68 versus IP67.
- Schedules run on the controller, so Wi-Fi outages do not stop them.
- Mapped roofline, Game Day and Neighborhood Sync in Lumina.
Who it's best for
JellyFish: Homeowners who want a widely known brand with adjustable white tones.
Nex-Gen: Kansas City homeowners who want a professional, hidden install, an app that knows the shape of their house and a local company for service.
What it costs in Kansas City
Nex-Gen publishes its Kansas City pricing: about $24 to $35 per linear foot installed. A typical front-of-home install of 150 to 200 feet runs about $3,600 to $7,000. JellyFish pricing is quoted by the dealer, so get both quotes for the same footage and compare line by line. Our Kansas City cost guide has the full breakdown.
Questions to ask any installer
- Is the warranty in writing, and who pays for labor if a light fails in year three?
- Do schedules keep running if my Wi-Fi goes down?
- Will the track be color matched to my trim?
- Can I light just part of the roofline, like the peaks?
- Is the price per foot, and what's included?
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